Refrigerator cabinet construction



July 23, 1940. g H L 2,208,795

REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed May 27, 1957 2 sheetsvsheet 1 July 23, 1,940. R. w. HULL 2,208,795

REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed May 27, 1937 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 23, 1946 j ET REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION Robert Winter Hull, Connersville, .Ind., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of the United States Application May 2'7, 1937, Serial No. 145,127

Q 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved refrigerator cabinet and a method of fabricating the same, and particularly to a cabinet of the household type employing ice or mechanical refrigeration apparatus for producing the refrigerating effect.

Competition in the marketing of insulated cabinets of the household refrigerator type is keen and due to modern machinery and manufacturing processes, it is necessary to turn out cabinets at a rapid rate, while at the same time maintaining certain standards of quality.

' It is an object of the invention to provide an improved refrigerator cabinet with regard to appearance, cost, material, process of fabrication, efiiciency and durability.

Other objects of the invention and the particular improvements in construction and method of fabrication with respect to prior known practices in this art will become apparent in view of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

Briefly the present invention includes the stamping, folding and welding of the top, back 2 and bottom of an outer casing from a sheet of metal, the welding of rear legs on to the outer casing, the application of a liner carrying a front frame and front legs into such outer casing after insulation has been placed in and around the l sides of the casing, and the proper sealing of the two units to prevent heat leakage through the five walls thus formed. To this cabinet chassis are applied the door trim, doors for the refrigerated compartments, metal panels over the opposed sides of the cabinet and a top member which fits in between the side panels.

In the drawings:

. .Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of one type of cabinet construction in accordance with the fea- 4 tures of the present invention;

40 Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank, preferably sheet metal, which is shaped to form a one piece top,.back and bottom member;

Fig. 3 is a view in edge elevation of the blank of Fig. 2 after it has been shaped to form the one piece top, back and bottom'member;

. Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of the part shown in Fig. 2 after the rear combined leg and reinforcing members have been applied;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective, partly broken away, of the unit of Fig. 4 laid on its back and tilted toward the observer with the insulation blocks assembled therein;

Fig .--6 is a side elevation of the completely insulated unit;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the insulated unit of Figs. 5 and 6 with the front door frame and liner unit inserted therein thus formingthe cabinet chassis;

Fig. 8 is a view in front elevation of the chassis *5 shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the sheet metal stampings forming the outer side walls of the cabinet, parts being broken away to show the construction of the opposite side; ll),

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the cap member, parts being broken away as in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line I l-l I, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail and first 1'5 to Figs. 2 to 10 inclusive wherein the various steps of the fabrication process are illustrated, in Fig. 2 a partly formed blank or stamping is shown and designated generally at A, said blank being separated by dotted lines into a top portion 5, a back portion 6, and a bottom portion I. The blank may be initially provided with side inturned flanges 8 and 9, or said flanges may be formed simultaneously with the shaping operation to bring the blank into the form shown in Fig. 3, "2' the latter figure showing the blank bent into a substantially U-shaped body member. This member forms the top, back and bottom outer walls of the cabinet and is preferably comprised of a single piece of sheet metal of such weight and g6 gauge as will afford the requisite strength and rigidity.

Fig. 4 shows the succeeding step wherein the U-shaped member shown in Fig. 3 is provided with combined reinforcing and leg members l0 and I I, which are preferably in the form of channel or angle members secured to each corner of the back portion 6, preferably by spot welding. Upper and lower crating pieces I2 and I3 are also se-cured,as bywelding,to the U-shaped body member A, preferablyat the time the legs are spot welded to the said member. These pieces are adapted to receive bolts to hold the refrigerator in place when it is packed and shipped. A tube ferrule I4 is also welded on the inner side of the back, through which electrical connections are made, 45 this ferrule also extending through the insulation and liner, to be described.

Fig. 5 illustrates the succeeding step wherein the body member formed by the blank A and g legs l0 and II is provided with insulating blocks l5, [6, ll, l8 and), said blocks being applied on five sides, leaving the front open. To assist in the sealing-in operation, a thin sheet of suitable material is applied over each outer wall of 5 the side blocks [6 and I9, one of said sheets being indicated at in Fig. 5. These sheets may either be in the form of sheet metal of relative thin gauge which is welded against the inner sides of the flanges 8 and 9 prior to application of the insulating blocks, or they may be in the form of water-proof paper sheets which may be applied either before or after the blocks are in place.

Figs. 6 and 7 show the next two steps which may be either in the order shown or in reverse order. Taking the assembling operation in the order shown, in Fig. 6 strips of cushioning and sealing material 2| and 22 are applied across the top and bottom of each side of the unit and also longitudinally thereof, or vertically. These strips may be and preferably are of paper felt secured by hydrolene or analogous sealing material and also function as a cushioning and sound deadening means as will hereinafter become more apparent.

v A preformed front frame and liner unit is provided, comprising the front frame 23 which is herein illustrated as formed of wood and surrounds the door opening, the side frame members being extended to provide front legs 24, and a liner 25 which at its outer edge is flanged and secured to the frame members. This liner is inserted or telescoped into the insulating blocks, the starting of the'telcscoping operation being illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. '7 and the parts being shown completely assembled in full lines in this figure.

Next the chassis provided by the liner and the outer body member with insulation blocks therebetween and the front frame is inverted and molten hydrolene is applied along the front edge between the two front legs, and the assembly is then stood upright and hydrolene is poured across the top to seal any cracks or crevices that may be present on the front from side to side.

Fig. 8 shows the substantially completed cabinet structure or chassis ready for application of the side panels and cap member shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Referring first to Fig. 9, a preformed side panel generally indicated at 26 is shown which may be and preferably is formed of sheet metal of such gauge as will provide the requisite strength and rigidity, said panel having inturned flanges 26a. The side panels 26 and 26 in the type of cabinet illustrated in the drawings are provided with an integrally formed base, portion 2'! which is undercut or recessed to define leg portions 28. The side panels are each applied so that the flanges 21 engage over the front and rear legs and the exposed flanged portion of the liner, the flanges being secured in any suitable manner, as by screws 29, note Fig. l. The side panels 26 and 26 are substantial duplicates on each side of the cabinet with the exception that suitable provision is made for hinges in the flanged edge of one panel for the door of the cabinet.

The type of cabinet illustrated in the present instance, has the side panels projected upwardly beyond the top of the cabinet structure proper,

and a cap member or shell 30 is provided, note Fig. 10, which has front and rear flanges 30a and 30b, the flanges 38a engaging over the adjacent liner flange at the top of the door opening and the flange 302) being attached to the back of the cabinet. A molding and sealing strip 3| is inserted between the cap and adjacent side panel and seals the joint at this point, said strip being of rubber or other suitable material.

A breaker strip 32 is applied around the door opening, and a lower front panel 33 fits into the opening of the machinery compartment and competes the assembly.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a strong, well insulated and symmetrically designed cabinet is provided with a minimum number of operations. The side panels may be removed with comparative ease if for some reason it is desired to renew the finish thereon. The insulation has been found highly eflicient and may be easily and quickly applied. The strips 2| and 22 provide a slight space between the side panels and the adjacent insulation block and serve to deaden vibration and sound while at the same time additionally sealing the insulation of the cabinet and providing a cushion support for the side panels. This type of cabinet assembly also ma-- terially reduces thenumber of parts to be handled, thereby speeding up production and reducing manufacturing costs.

It will be understood that instead of the side panels being shaped to form a false supporting or base structure, a separate base may be provided and the legs I0, I l and 24 set on such base; also the cap member may be formed as an integral part of the top; and various other changes in structure and design may be adopted within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A refrigerator cabinet comprising a sub-" stantially U-shaped member forming the top, back and bottom outer walls of the cabinet, combined reinforcing and leg members secured to the rear edges of saidmember, a pre-assembled unit consisting of a front frame structure and liner assembly telescoped into said body member, insulating material overlying the top, back, side and bottom walls of the liner, preformed flanged side panels overlying the insulated side walls of the liner and having the flanged edges thereof overlapping the rear edges of the body member and legs and the front frame structure, said front frame structure including downwardly projecting leg members for the front of the cabinet.

2. A refrigerator cabinet comprising a flanged substantially U-shaped body member defining the top, back and bottom outer walls of the cabinet, angle members secured tothe rear flanged edges of the body member and serving to reinforce said member and provide rear legs for the cabinet, a front frame assembly shaped to define a door opening and having a liner attached thereto, said assembly being telescoped into the body member providing a cabinet chassis, said front frame member being provided with downwardly projecting legs which provide supports for the front of the cabinet, insulation material surrounding the top, back, side and bottom walls of the liner, and preformed flanged side panels overlying the insulated sides of the liner and having their flanged edges overlapping the said front and rear legs.

3. In a refrigerator cabinet, a preformed substantially U-shaped flanged body member providing the top, back and bottom outer walls of the cabinet, angle members secured to the rear flanged edges of the U-shaped body member and serving to reinforce the latter and provide rear leg supports for the cabinet, and a front frame structure constructed to define a door opening and provided with downwardly projecting portions which provide front legs for the cabinet,- a

flanged liner attached to said front frame structure and telescoped into said body member, and insulation material between the outer and inner walls provided by said U-shaped body member and liner.

4. In a refrigerator cabinet, a substantially U-shaped flanged body member forming the top, back and bottom outer walls of the cabinet, a liner telescoped into said member, blocks of insulation between the walls of said liner and member and on the outer sides of said liner, a sheet of relative thin metal secured to the inner sides of said flanges and overlying the side insulating material and serving as a sealing means, strips of sound deadening and sealing material overlying said sheet, and side panels forming the outer side walls of the cabinet and spaced from said sealing sheet by said strips.

5. A refrigerator cabinet comprising, an outer substantially u-shaped flanged body member forming the top, back and bottom outer walls of the cabinet, combined leg and reinforcing members secured to the rear corners of said body member and projecting downwardly therefrom forming rear legs for the cabinet, a front frame shaped to provide a door opening and having downwardly projecting leg members providing the front legsof the cabinet, a liner secured to said front frame and having its edges formed .With out-turned flanges which overlap said frame, insulation material disposed between the top, back and bottom walls of the body member and liner and overlying the side walls of the latter, preformed flanged side panels having their flanged edges overlapping said legs and portions of said front frame structure and detachably secured thereto, said panels projecting upwardly beyond the top wall of said body member, and a separate preformed cap member positioned between the projecting tops of the side panels.

6. A refrigerator cabinet comprising, an outer substantially U-shaped flanged body member forming the top, back and bottom outer walls of the cabinet, combined leg and reinforcing members of angle shape in cross section secured over the rear corners of said body member and projecting downwardly therefrom forming rear legs for the cabinet, a pre-fabricated front frame unit comprising a front frame shaped to provide a door opening and including downwardly projecting portions providing the front legs of the cabinet and .a food compartment liner secured to said frame and having its edges formed with outturned flanges which overlap and are secured to said frame, insulation material disposed between the top, back and bottom walls of the body member and liner and overlying the side walls of the latter, strips of sound deadening and sealing material; applied over the exposed outer sides of the insulation and a sheet of relatively thin sealing material overlying the said strips and insulation, preformed flanged side panels having their flanged edges overlapping said legs and portions of said front frame structure and detachably secured thereto, said panels projecting upwardly beyond the top wall of said body member, and a separate preformed cap member positioned between the projecting tops of the side panels.

ROBERT WINTER HULL. 

